At the time of writing, it’s been six months since I was made redundant and decided to set out on my own. In that time, I’ve tried to do the best job I can by getting as much help and support as possible. And trust me, there’s lots out there. Some, admittedly, is only available to me because I was made redundant, but there’s a lot that’s available to every budding entrepreneur with a viable business idea.

Today’s post will have a predominantly Welsh slant, as I’m writing from my own personal experience, and that’s where I’m based. I’d like to hope that wherever you are, there will be similar support available.

Ever drift from an old friend? Nobody did anything wrong, you’re still friends, you just haven’t heard from each other in a while. Maybe you didn’t see each other for a few days that turned into a few weeks, and then a bit longer.

Ever noticed that sometimes the same thing happens in your business? A once-regular customer just disappears. They had a new car to pay for, or a holiday disrupted their regular routine, and through no fault of your own you just kind of slipped their mind.

As well as being a social media & digital marketer, I’m also, mostly, a home-worker. In the (nearly) six months since I was made redundant and started up TidyMedia, I’ve learned a few home truths about working from home. See what I did there?

I can’t claim to be the utmost authority on the topic, but if you’ll allow me the small indulgence, I’d like to share a few top tips from my own experience that work to boost my producitivity, so probably will for you, too!

We’ve all been there. You’re slogging away, working your fingers to the bone, wondering how your competitors seem to be doing better than you! What is it about their social media ads that draws customers in? You may only have seen one or two of their ads, and either been reeled in or turned off. But that’s rarely the full picture. Are they running more ads that you haven’t seen? What if you could see them all?

Let’s talk a little bit about the elephant in the room. No doubt you’ll have seen many learned people describing follower-count as a vanity metric, and you may even have noticed that I said previously it’s not our priority. So is it important at all? Well, yes. Yes, it is

Social Media is renowned for its edgy tone, but if you’re a solicitor, I’d probably avoid using acronyms like CBA and WTF. Although some personality should come through, you need it to be a likeable and appropriate personality. If you run a comedy club, go all out – but otherwise I’d definitely recommend aiming for quirky rather than zany. If you’re unsure, err on the side of caution. That said, to the other end of the scale, not even solicitors need to write social media posts as if they’re letters to grand-mama.

As a consumer, I’m quite picky. I make judgements based on websites and social media pages; if they’re badly presented I’m unlikely to part with my hard-earned cash, unless the product or service is seriously amazing and I can’t get it somewhere else. It’s a bit like a job interview: suit and tie is a bit stuffy and over-the-top these days, but if you’re going to offer somebody a job, you want them to make a bit of an effort and at least look presentable, right? Would you turn up for a job interview in your dog-walking clothes? Your gym gear? Unless you run a dog-walking business or a gym, are you likely to offer a job to anyone dressed like that?